Remote positioning system



June 4, 1957 N. c. WILLIAMS ETAL 2,

REMOTE POSITIONING SYSTEM Filed Oct. 10. 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l i am-pi June 4, 1957 Filed Oct. 10, 1955 N. c. WILLIAMS ETAL 2,794,423

REMOTE POSITIONING SYSTEM W y-1:76 my fig. 2'

INVENTOR. Norman C W////'am.s y WHSfiWOOG United States Patent REMOTE POSITIONING SYSTEM Norman C. Williams, Portland, Greg, and Rollin W. Fishwood, Vancouver, Wash, assignors to Power Brake Equipment Company, Portland, 0reg., a corporation of Oregon Application October 10, 1955, Serial No. 539,465

4 Claims. (Cl. 121-38) This invention relates generally to master and slave mechanism systems of the type in which a master switch requiring little power is used to position a remote power operated mechanism. The invention is an improvement over the system of my U. S. Patent No. 2,718,876, issued to me September 27, 1955, on a Remote Positioning Means. In the improved form of the invention here disclosed the useful mechanism to be operated is indicated to be the forward, neutral and reverse drive selecting transmission of a boat propelling motor, the transmission operating means is a three position pneumatically operated piston in a cylinder, the remote control means is a three position pneumatic valve or the equivalent thereof, and the invention comprises the unique and useful combination of these elements with unique and useful control elements and the required pneumatic circuit connections.

It is the primary object of the present form of the invention to provide the required elements and the combined mechanism for the above disclosed purpose which will have no electrical parts to deteriorate in marine use, which is simple and easy to service, which will operate smoothly without shock to the operated parts, and which has a minimum of long connecting power conduits connecting the remote parts.

It is a second object to provide the new and useful control devices required for the improved system.

i It is a third object to provide the system of Patent No. 2,718,876 with position sensing means to control the limit of throw of pneumatically operated piston.

How these and other objects are attained is explained in the following description referring to the attached drawings in which Figure 1 is a sectional elevation view of a two-way check valve.

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation view of a neutral finding and directional control valve.

Figure 3 is a view in elevation of an alternate operating bar to be used with the device of Fig. 2 to form a two way limit control.

Figure 4 is a sectional elevation view of an automatic neutral return valve.

Figure 5 is a schematic showing of the functional connections of the elements of the system adjacent the mechanism to be controlled.

Figure 6 is a schematic showing of the functional connections of the elements of one form of remote control through which the invention may be practiced.

Figure 7 is a schematic showing of the functional connection of the elements of another form of remote control.

Like numerals of reference refer to like parts in the several figures of the drawing.

As seen in Figure l the two-way check valve used at 11, 21 and 31 of Figures 5 and 7 includes a hollow T-shaped body 12 with identical plugs 13 threaded into opposite'ends thereof. Both plugs 13 and the T-leg 14 2,794,423 Patented June 4, 1957 are centrally drilled and tapped as at 15 to receive standard tube to pipe connectors. At their inner ends the central holes through plugs 13 form check valve ports 16, 17 adapted to be closed by ball valve 18 freely rollable within the interior of body 12. It is seen that if air pressure is exerted through either of the plugs 13 the ball valve 18 will move to close the port (16 or 17) in the opposite plug and air will flow through the body 12 and out the T-port 19 only.

As seen in Figure 2 the neutral finding and directional control valve 20 shown at 20, in Figure 5 comprises a pair of substantially identical valve mechanisms symmetrically arranged within the body 22 about operating bar 23 adapted to pass freely through a transverse hole 24 formed through body 22. As shown in Figure 5 bar 23 is reduced in size and threaded at its right end to pass through a hole formed through rigid link bar 25 and to be rigidly secured thereto by nut 26. The other end of link bar 25 is rigidly secured to piston rod 27 of piston 28 made up of plate disks 29, 30 and 32 between the outer edges of which are secured piston packing elements 33, 34 adapted to seal piston 28 to the inner wall of power cylinder 35 closed at one end by integral head 36 and at the other by removable head 37 through a central hole in which rod 27 is slidably sealed. The inner end of piston rod 27 is reduced in diameter and threaded to pass through a central hole in piston 28 and be secured thereto by nut 38. The outer end of rod 27 is reduced in diameter and threaded to pass through a hole formed in link bar 25 to be secured thereto by nut 39. Link bar 25 is formed with an ofiset angular extension 40 pivoted to operating lever 43 of the transmission 44 adapted to receive power from rotating engine shaft 45 and to rotate propellor shaft 46 in the forward moving direction if lever 43 is in its position shown at 43b, in the rearward moving direction if lever 43 is in its position shown at 43 or to disconnect shaft 46 from shaft 45 if lever 43 is in its position shown at 430.

Bracket 47 secured to the boat structure 49 by bolts 48 is formed at its upper end with a bearing hole therethrough adapted to receive pin 51) pivotally mounting on bracket 47 the bearing boss 51 extending rearwardly from rear cylinder head 36. Transmission 44 is secured to boat structure 49 by bolts 52.

Control 20 is secured by cap screw 53 to support plate 54 which in turn is secured to cylinder head 37 by cylinder head nuts 55 which also secure cylinder head 37 to cylinder 35.

From Figure 5 it is seen that valve operating bar 23 is secured to power piston rod 27 to remain axially parallel thereto and always to move longitudinally in either direction therewith and axially through transverse hole 24 in control valve body 22 to position valve operating pistons 56, 57 slidably guided in hole 58 formed centrally vertically through body 22 normal to rod 23 whose axis intersects the axis of hole 58. See Figure 2.

Hole 58 through body 22 is enlarged at each outer end and internally threaded to receive at one end plug 59 to complete the closure of valve chamber 69 and at the other end plug 61 to complete the closure of valve chamber 62. Plugs 59 and 61 are center tapped at 63, 64- respectively to receive tube to pipe tap fittings. Pipe tapped holes 65, 66 and exhaust port holes 67, 68 are formed through the walls of body 22 to central hole 58 as shown.

Valve 69 in valve cup 70 is biased as shown by spring 71 toward valve seat 72 formed around the end of hole 58 at its entrance to chamber 60. Valve 73 in valve cup 74 is biased as shown by spring 75 toward valve seat 76 formed around the end of hole 58 at its entrance to chamber 62.

Valve operating piston 56 is reduced in diameter'at 77 for a 'sutlicient length to cause exhaust port 67 al- Ways to be in communication with transverse hole 78 and intersecting longitudinal hole 79 the upper end of the wall of which forms exhaust valve seat '80. Valve operating piston 57 is reduced in diameter at 81 for a sufiicient length to cause exhaust port 68 always to be in communication with transverse hole 82 and intersecting longitudinal hole 33 the lower end of the wall of which forms exhaust valve seat '84.

Operating bar 23 is formed from a metal bar of circular section about its axis 85 and has an operating neutral position at 86. To the right of 86 the top of bar 23. is cut off to form a flat horizontal land 87 while to the left of 86 the bottom of bar 23 is cut oft to form a flat horizontal land 83. It is seen that when bar 23 is moved to right of the position shown in -Figure 2 until line {56 reaches the axis of pistons 56, 57 then both pistons will take the position shown with respect to their respective valves as shown in the drawing for valve 69 and piston 56. Then further movement of bar 23 to the right will cause piston 56 to raise off of land 87 to the normal top of bar 23 first closing exhaust valve seat 89 into closing contact on valve 69 and then raising valve 69 from valve seat 72 to place pipe connection 65 into communication with pipe connection 63.

'Referring now to Fig. it is to be understood that the two-way limit control valve mechanism a is identically constructed with neutral finding valve mechanism 20 with the single exception that operating bar 23a, shown in detail in Fig. 3, is formed with grooves 87a and 88:: into which pistons 57 and 56 respectively may fall to isolate lines 138 and 142:: respectively from their air supply lines 141, 142 when the piston rod 27 of power cylinder has completed its required travel in the desired direction. Valve mechanism 20a is seen to be supported on valve mechanism 20 by support plate 54a in the same manner that valve mechanism 20 is supported on cylinder head 37 by support plate 54. Also operating bar 23a is secured to the upper endof rigid link bar 25 in the same manner that operating bar 23 is secured to link bar 25.

Now referring to Figure 4, automatic neutral return valve 106 positioned at 106 in Figure 7 includes an internally stepped valve cylinder 107 which is guidably sealed for longitudinal operation of a valve piston 108. Spring 109 enclosed by cover 110 secured to cylinder 107 by screw 111 is adjustably strained by adjusting screw 1'12 and spring cap 113 to bias piston 108 downwardly. Lock nut 114 secures screw 112 in a selected position. Head 115 of piston 108 is slidably sealed to the inner wall of cylinder 197 by O-ring 1'16. Through the wall of cylinder 197 are formed three pipe tapped holes 117, 118, 119 and an exhaust port 120 leading to the interior of cylinder 137. The upper working section 121 of piston 168 is always sealed to the upper working section 122 of cylinder 107 by O-ring 123. The intermediate section 124 of piston 168 is adapted to cooperate with O-n'ng 125 set into wall section 126 of cylinder 107 to form a valve capable of blocking the path through the cylinder between holes 118119. O-n'ng 127 set into the lower working section 128 of piston 108 cooperates with cylinder bore 129 to form an exhaust valve between hole 119 and exhaust port 120. As shown in Figure 4, exhaust valve 127129 is closed thereby isolating exhaust port 120, valve 1-24125 is open thereby allowing a free path from hole 118 to hole 119. As air is introduced into cylinder 107 through connection 117 to oppose the bias of spring 109 on. piston 108 piston 108 will rise, first closing valve 124125, then opening exhaust valve 127.129.

Having thus explained the structure and operation of the working elements of the invention, the-circuits and operation of the system will be described with reference to Figures 5 and 6 in which the locations of the Figures l, 2 and 3 devices have been indicated. In Figure 6. is shown a remote master air control valve 130 of a common type secured to the boat structure 49 by screws 131. This master valve is under air pressure at all times from air line 132 and is formed with an exhaust port 133 and three operating ports 134, 135 and 136. In each of the three positions 137, 137a and 137b of lever 137 of master valve 130 one of the ports 134, 135 or 136 is connected to the air line 132 and the other two ports are connected to the exhaust port 133.

In the position 137 as shown in Figure 6 lever 137 has operated master control 130 to connect air line 132 with outlet port 134, flexible tubing 13S, and air inlet port 64a of control 20a. Control 20a has passed actuating air through and out outlet 66a, tubing 138a, two way check valve 11 and tubing 140a to inlet port 140 in head 37 of power cylinder 35 thus putting pressure on power piston 28 which has moved to the left, to the position shown in Figure 5, taking with it piston rod 27 and lever 43 toward the reverse drive position of transmission 44. As lever 137 is held in position 137 air under pressure is continuously applied to power piston 28 through port 140 until piston rod 27 through link bar 25 moves operating bar 23a of control 20a to the left until groove 87a in bar 23a moves under valve piston 57 of control 20a thus allowing piston 57 to move under its spring bias to close valve 73, 76 and shut off the supply of air from line 138 to line 138a while exhausting line 138a to atmosphere through port 68 of control 20a.

During this operation master control ports 135 and 136 and their connected lines 141 and 1 42 are exhausted to atmospheric pressure through master control port 133, therefore the power piston 28 and transmission lever 43 will stay in the position shown While control lever 137 remains in the position 137 as shown.

Now if it is desired to go at once to the forward direction of boat movement, master lever 137 is thrown over to the forward position 1371; and air pressure from line 132 is impressed on line 142 while lines 138 and 141 are exhausted to atmosphere. Valve 69, 72 of con trol 29a is held open by valve piston 56 riding the full radius of operating bar 23:: and air under pressure from line 142 passes valve 69, 72, line 142a, check valve 21 and line 144a to port 144 at the left end of power cylinder 35 where the air enters to press power piston 28 to the right carrying with it lever arm 43 of transmission 44 until operating bar 23a of control 20a has moved its groove 88a under valve piston 56 to allow the spring bias of piston 56 to close valve 69, 72 and open line 142a to atmosphere through port 67 of control 20a, thus setting the forward limit of motion of power piston rod 27 and transmission lever 43 shown dotted at 43b. Should it next be desired to disconnect the propeller shaft from the drive shaft to stop propulsion of the boat, master control lever 137 is shifted to the neutral position 137a putting line 141 under pressure. and exhausting lines 138- and 142. When this is done it is seen from Figure 5 that the circuits between master control 130 through control 20a and up to check valves 11 and 21 are at atmospheric pressure. Also actuating air is impressed through tube 141 onto both connections 63, 64 of neutral valve 20. As seen in Figures 2 and 5' the drive mechanism is in the reverse direction so that bar 23 is positioned to the left with piston rod 27 leaving neutral control 20 to the right of the 'neutral'position 86 of bar 23. In this position valve operating piston 56 ridesdown on land 87 of bar 23 and allows valve 6972 to close thereby blocking line 141 at' inlet 63 and exhausting line 145 to atmosphere through connection 65 and exhaust valve 6980 of neutral control 20. However as shown valve operating piston 57 in control 20 is riding against the bias of spring 75 on the outer diameter of bar 23 at its lower side and exhaust valve 73-84 is closed while valve 7 3-76 is open to .put air under pressure from connection 64 of line 141 through valve 7376 into connection 66 of line 146 where it is blocked from line-142a by check valve 21 but eflective through the T opening in check valve 21'to enter the left endof power cylinder 36 through line 144a and connection 144 to push piston 28 to the right carrying with its piston rod 27, transmission lever 43 and operating bar 23. As operating bar 23 moves to the right and nears the neutral position where the center line of neutral control is coincident with neutral line 86 of bar 23, valve operating piston 57 moves upwardly until at line 86 piston 57 rests on land 88 of bar 23, valve 73-76 is closed to block further air input to the power cylinder and exhaust valve 7384 is opened to relax the air pressure in the power cylinder by exhausting the cylinder to atmosphere. It should be noted that after valve 73--76 closes under the bias of spring 75 then the back pressure of air from the power cylinder through line 146 and connection 66 under valve piston 51 continues to raise the piston to open exhaust valve 73--84.

It is thus seen that regardless of the positions 137, 137a or 13717 in which control lever 137 may be the transmission lever 43 will be in an analogous position 43, 43a or 43b, and if lever 43 is moved to another desired position lever 137 will follow at once to its equivalent position. Also it should be noted that the present system is such that in its action toward either the forward or reverse position the power fluid is fed to the power cylinder through one of the positions limiting valves in control 20a so that the power piston is not slammed to the end of its stroke in a destructive way. In returning to the neutral position the power piston is under the exact control of neutral control mechanism 20.

It sometimes occurs in the installation of these systems that there is a considerable distance between the remote master control and the power operating mechanism and it is desirable both for economy and to avoid confusion to require only two lines instead of three be-v tween the two locations. This invention provides for this situation by combining the elements of Figure 7 with the elements of Figure 5 rather than to combine the elements of Figures 5 and 6 as above described.

Combining Figures 5 and 7 it should be noted that the neutral air connection 135 from master control 130 is not used but that neutral air pressure line 141 is connected to a separate air supply line 132a through an auxiliary neutral valve 106 described above with refer ence to Figure 4. New air line 132a is connected to control 106 at 118, neutral line 141 is connected to control 106 at 119 and a new line connects control 106 at 117 to the T connection of two-way check valve 31 the ends of which are connected to forward and reverse air pressure lines 142, 138 respectively as shown.

Referring to Figures 4, 5 and 7 it is seen that with air pressure from line 132a at connection 118 of control 106 and with adjusting screw 112 properly set and with no air pressure on connection 117, piston 108 is held by spring 109 in the downward position shown in Figure 4 which is the condition when master control 130 is set with lever 137 in the neutral position 137a. As explained above the Figures 5-6 arrangement, when master control 130 is set to this neutral position air pressure is required on line 141, so in the Figures 5-7 arrangement with master control neutral pressure outlet 135 plugged and not used then air pressure is applied to line 141 from line 132a through control 106 from connection 118 to connection 119.

When in the Figures 5-7 arrangement -it is desired to shift to either the forward or reverse power drive operation, master control lever 137 is shifted to either the position 137b or the position 137 and air pressure is applied to the appropriate line 138 or 142 thus applying appropriate actuating pressure to power cylinder through one of the valves of control 20a. But as described for the Figures 5-6 arrangement for proper operation of the system to the forward or reverse position it is necessary that the air be relaxed or exhausted to atmosphere from line 141 To accomplish this, in the Figures 5-7 arrangement, when air pressure is applied to either line 138 or 142, air from the appropriate'line through two-way check valve 31 is applied to the piston operating connection 117 of control 106. This air pressure under head 7115 of piston 108 lifts piston 108 against the bias of spring 109 and first closes valve -124 to disconnect line 141 from line 132a and then opens valve 127--129 to exhaust line 141 to atmosphere through connection 119 and exhaust port 120.

in the Figures 57 arrangement it is thus seen that continuous air line 132a and control 106 at the power location remove the necessity of bringing line 141 to the remote or master control locations, control 106 being responsive to air pressure or its lack in lines 138, 142 to apply pressure to line 141 on its lack or to relax line 141 on the presence of pressure in lines 138 or 142.

Having thus explained some of the objects of the invention, illustrated and described the invented system in two forms, illustrated and described the mechanisms required in the systems and described their operation, it is apparent that both the systems and the mechanisms are subject to variations equivalent to and not departing from the teachings of the invention and we claim the logical variations of our invention as follows:

1. A remote positioning system including in combination: a fluid actuated piston in a cylinder; said piston having a pair of reverse positions and an intermediate neutral position; a first pair of valve mechanisms; each of said first pair of valve mechanisms having a first fluid connection, a second fluid connection and a fluid exhaust connection; a first means operable by said piston to connect said first fluid connection of one of said first pair of valve mechanisms with its exhaust connection when said piston is near the end of its travel in one direction andoperable by said piston to connect said first fluid connection of the other of said first pair of valve mechanisms with its exhaust connection when said piston is near the end of its travel in the other direction; each of said first means operable by said piston being operable to connect the respective first and second fluid connections of each of said first pair of valve mechanism when said piston is intermediate its said end of travel positions; a second pair of valve mechanisms; each of said second pair of valve mechanisms having a first fluid connection, a second fluid connection and a fluid exhaust connection; a second means operable by said piston to connect said first fluid connection with said exhaust connection in each of said second pair of valves when said piston is in its neutral position and operable reversely for said second pair of valve mechanisms as said piston moves from its neutral position toward one of its reverse positions to block said first connection of one of said second pair of valve mechanisms from its said exhaust connection and thereafter to connect its said first fluid connection with its said second fluid connection; a pair of two-way check valves; each of said check valves having a pair of valve ports and a free port; the free ports of said check valves being connected respectively to the interior of said cylinder at the opposite ends thereof; each of said check valves including means movable therein to block one of its said valve ports and connect said free port with the other of its valve ports when fluid pressure is applied to said other of its ports; a first pair of fluid conduits respectively connecting one of said valve ports of each of said check valves to said first fluid connections of each of said first pair of valve mechanisms; a second pair of fluid conduits respectively connecting the other of said valve ports of each said check valves to said first fluid connections of said second pair of valve mechanisms; a forward fluid conduit connected to said second fluid connection of one of said first pair of valve mechanisms; a reverse fluid conduit connected to said second fluid connection of the other of said first pair of valve mechanisms; a neutral fluid conduit connected to both said second 7 fluid connections of said second pairofvalve mechanisms; and control means adapted to supply air under pressure to any selected one of said forward, reverse or neutral fluids conduits at one time.

'2. The system of claim 1 in which said control means includes a third two-way check valve and a fluid pressure relay valve; the said forward fluid conduit of said system being connected to one valve port of said third check Valve and the reverse fluid conduit of said system being connected to the other valve port of said third check valve; said fluid pressure relay having an operating inlet, a pressure fluid inlet, a pressure fluid outlet, an exhaust outlet, a line valve between said pressure fluid inlet and said pressure fluid outlet, an exhaust valvebetween said pressure fluid outlet and said exhaust outlet, means biasing said line valve toward its open position and said exhaust valve toward its'closed position; said operating inlet of said relay being connected to the free port of said third check valve, said pressure fluid inlet being connected at all times to a source of fluid under pressure; said pressure fluid outlet being connected to said neutral fluid conduit of said system, and said relay including means responsive to the presence of fluid under pressure at said operating inlet to first close said line valve against the bias of said biasing means and then open said exhaust valve.

3; A remote positioning system for a fluid actuated reversible piston having a forward position, a reverse position, an intermediate neutral position and a source of fluid under pressure, said system comprising: a forward fluid conduit, a reverse fluid conduit and a neutral fluid conduit; :1 fluid valve means having forward, reverse and neutral positions for selectively supplying fluid from said source to one of said piston through said forward fluid conduit, to the other end of said piston through said reverse fluid conduit or to either end of said piston through said neutral fluid conduit; said forward fluid conduit including a first normally open fluid valve; said reverse fluid conduit including a second normally open fluid valve; said neutral fluid conduit including a third norin its forward movement and for operating said second fluid valve to its closed position at a predetermined position of said piston in its reverse movement; and said piston including a second operating means for operating said third fluid valve to its open position when said piston moves in one direction from its neutral position and for operating said fourth fluid valve to its open position when said piston moves in the other direction from its neutral position.

4. The system 'ofclaim 3 in which said fluid valve means having forward, reverse and neutral positions for selectively supplying fluid from said source to one end of said piston through said forward fluid conduit, to the other end of said piston through said reverse fluid conduit or to either end of said piston through said neutral fluid conduit, includes a normally closed forward fluid valve for supplying fluid from said source to said forward fluid conduit, a normally closed reverse fluid valve for supplying fluid from said source to said reverse fluid conduit, a normally open neutral fluid valve for supplying fluid from said source to said neutral fluid conduit and automatic means for closing said neutral fluid valve when either of said normally closed forward or reverse fluid valves are open.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 965,270 Zelle July 26, 1910 1,807,231 Weeken May 26, 1931 2,258,585 Hedene Oct. 14, 1941 2,301,099 Upp Nov. 3, 1942 2,447,968 Trotter Aug. 24, 1948 2,718,876 Williams Sept. 2, 1955 

